Reversible feeding mechanism



April 18, 1961 R. H. COLBY REVERSIBLE FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 14, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 SN om mm a W mm FILL all.

INVENTOR. Richard H I:.IIIHII BY QMVZZMMMMQW ATTORNEYS April 18, 1961 R. H. COLBY REVERSIBLE FEEDING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1954 INVENTOR.

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MMMQMOQW RT UZNEYS April 18, 1961 R. H. COLBY REVERSIBLE FEEDING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 14, 1954 INVENTOR.

1% m M L d H m m a ATTORNEYS April 18, 1961 R. H. COLBY REVERSIBLE FEEDING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 14, 1954 INVENTOR. Rig hm? d H5131]: QKEMWZMM ATTORNEYS United States Patent O REVERSIBLE FEEDING MECHANISM Richard H. Colby, South Hadley, Mass., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army 7 Filed June 14, 1954, Ser. No. 436,748

Claims. (Cl. 89-33) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

My invention relates to a recoil-operated firearm and more particularly to a feeder therefor.

The receiver of a recoil-operated weapon includes a guideway for directing therein a disintegrating cartridge belt having open links for securing cartridges. The guideway is provided with means for stopping the feeding advance of the belt in position to permit stripping of the leading cartridge therefrom and the weapon includes a rammer for operating through the stripping position responsive to the recoil cycle of the weapon. In the forward stroke thereof, the rammer engages the base of the cartridge to strip the cartridge from the belt and chamber the cartridge in the barrel of the weapon. It is an object of my invention, therefore, to provide a simple and reliable device for feeding an ammunition belt to the stripping position of a weapon and for guiding the links of the belt from the stripping position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device for selective rightand left-hand feed of an ammunition belt to the weapon.

A further object of my invention is to provide a feeder for a weapon constructed for easy and rapid change of feed direction.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a feeder removably attachable to the weapon for ready access to the interior of the receiver.

A still further object of my invention is to provide such a feeder having a removable cover for immediate access to the ammunition belt.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a feeder with a removable cover for including the actuating mechanism of the feeder.

In carrying out my invention, a weapon having a barrel assembly operable in recoil reciprocation and a rammer operable through a cartridge stripping position for ramming cartridges from an open link ammunition belt into the barrel of the weapon responsive to the reciprocation, is provided with a device for feeding the ammunition belt to the stripping position including a tray disposed laterally subjacent the stripping position for supporting the ammunition belt and a removable cover there- I for. The cover includes a feed slide slidably secured therein by an axially disposed support bar and a cam plate axially slidable in the cover is provided with a cam track engageable with a cam follower depending from the slide. The cam plate is secured to the barrel assembly to actuate the slide in reciprocal lateral movement responsive to the reciprocation of the barrel assembly.

A pawl is pivoted on the slide and spring-biased to a normal position for engagement to propel the lead cartridge of the belt to the stripping position as the slide moves in one direction and for riding overthe following cartridge as the slide moves in the opposite direction. A

belt stop and link guide-way of the weapon;

cartridge depressor is resiliently mounted in the underside 2,979,992 Patented Apr. 18, 196.1

porating my invention with the barrel extension and the V rammer shown in the rearward positions;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged View along the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the combined cartridge Fig. 4 is a view along the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a partly cutaway perspective view of the feed portion of the weapon;

Fig. 6 is a partial view of Fig. 2 with an alternate ammunition retaining device;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged cutaway view of the cartridge belt feeding and retaining pawls shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of another form of my invention with permanently attached cartridge retaining pawls; and

v Fig, 9 is a perspective view of the form shown in Fig. 8.

According to the drawings a recoil-operated weapon 12 includes a receiver 14 and a barrel assembly including an extension 18 slidably disposed and biasedto a battery position thereon.

A feed tray 20 is transversely disposed on receiver 14 for lateral support of a belt 22 for feeding cartridges 24 to weapon 12. Belt 22 is of the disintegrating type and cartridges 24 are connected therein by links 25. Tray 20 includes a centrally disposed longitudinal slot 26. A bolt (not shown) is slidably disposed for accelerated'reciprocal movement with respect to the barrel assembly includes a rammer 28 for extending through the slot.

A substantially fiat cover 29 includes sides 30 with depending tabs 31 adjacent the front and rear ends thereof. Tray 20 is provided with a pair of similar tabs 32 on either side thereof. Axial rods 33 are slidably disposed in projections 34 on either side of receiver 14 and biased to normal positions therein by springs 35 to project through corresponding diameter holes 36 of tabs 31 and 32 to secure tray'20 and cover 29 to receiver 14. Tabs 31 and 32 are open along the underside thereof to form slots 38 with parallel sides spaced at a distance less than the diameter of rods 33. Rods 33 are provided with slabbed portions 40 having a width slightly less than that of slots 38. In order to unfasten tray 20 and cover 29 from receiver 14 rods 33 are moved forwardly against the biasof springs 35 to align slabbed portions 40 with slots .44 is slidably disposed in opposed channels within housing 41. Housing 41 fits into a lateral groove 45 formed in the top of a longitudinal support bar 46 which is in turn secured to cover 29 by a pair of retainers 47 located adjacent the front and rear ends thereof. Each of. the

retainers 47 includes a rotatable stem with a hand knob 48 projecting from cover 29.- Heads 49 included on the lower ends of retainers 47 are ofrectangular section for projecting through corresponding'slots in'support bar 46 and such retainers are rotated to secure support bar 46 tocover 29. A biasing spring 50 is provided between.

knob 48 and cover 29 to prevent accidental unfastening of retainers 47. A pair of-upwardly projecting spaced apart lugs 52 are provided on the top of support bar 46 'of by pawl 78.

Opposite edges of tray 20 include notches83and'thje amrerrbm and rear ends thereof and are arranged to extend through lateral grooves--54 in cover-29. "The-ends of bar 46 are vertically slotted: as shown at 120 and a transverse slot 122 'is formed in the underside of bar 46 at =-riglit angles 1 to slot; 120. When retainer 47 is rotateds'o that head 49fthereon fits into 1 slot 1:22,-b'ar'46* serves" to lock-feed 'slide housing 41,to-'cover, 29. In ordertoremove housing 41 'froml cover 29,-each ret'ainer47 is first depressed against spring-50 to remove head 49ffromslot 1'22 and then rotated so that'upon release thereof head 49 ca'ri be'm'oved-upwardly' through vertical slot "120 to *una fasten bar 46 from cover 29.

Receiver-14is interiorly and oppositely g'rooved'as shown at'60 in 'Fig. 2 while-bar '46 is correspondingly Slide ,44 is provided with a cam fol1owerf72-anda provides axial pivotal support for a pawl 78. The f sur- A and support bar '46 is again secured to cover 29 by means "of'retainers "'47. 'Paw1'90 is pivoted on 'the "opposite bracket 87, cartridge belt stop 92 is secured to the opposite side of tray 20.

A first alternate construction for retaining an ammunition belt 22 on tray 20 is. shown in Figs. 6 and 7 for use with cartridge belt stop 92. Housing 41 -is provided with symmetrically disposed depending lu'gs"104.- Lugs 104 are bifurcated and pawls 106 are pivoted therein and biased by springs 108 to'engage the succeeding cartridge 110 when the lead cartridge 112 is propelled bya'ctuating pawl 78 to the stripping position. As shown in Fig. 7, pawl 78 moves'between pawls 106 as it advances succeeding cartridge 110 to the stripping position.

A second alternate method of retaining anammunition belt on tray '20"is shown in FigsKS and 9 for use'with cartridge belt stop 92. A pair of pawls 114 are similarly apivoted andspring-biased onitray 20 and theipawls include projections 116 operating in'cuts- '118 ii1;the.tray for engagement with "cartridge belt stop '92. :As tcartridgebelt stop' 92 is mounted on the tray, the correspond-- 'ing pawl is depressed to the level of the tray surface (and bracket 74 projecting downward from opposite ends'thereof Cam follower 72 engages in a longitudinally extending carn' track 76 provided in cam plate '62 and1bracket74 'facesof'i cam track 76 are formed for reciprocalrlateral operation ofslide 44 responsive-to'the recoil and counter recoil strokes of the barrel assembly. Studs 64 and 6 6'e'ng'a'ge cam'pl'ate '62 for rightand Ieft-hand-feeds; respectively. p j I Pawl "78 is biased'by a spring 79 to a normal position, for engagement to successively 'feedthe lead-cartridges or belt 22 into a stripping position 80 directly-above'slot '26 responsive to the lateral; operation." Adepressor 81 is slidably disposed "above the stripping position and :is downwardlybiased in support bar 46 by aspring" 82. -Under surface 84 of the depressor is concave for r 'etaining ,a-cartridge inthe stripping position "and opposite edges -86'are beveled to produce an upward car'nining movement *of depressor 81 which will compressspr'ing 82 as the leading cartridge 24 is fed into the stripping position" thereftray-is provided with brackets 87 adjacent the notches having lateral-surfaces 8.8. A pawl 90 is-pivoted 'on'the appropriate surface 88 and biased by .aspring85 to en 'gag'e a cartridge 24 in belt 22 and restrain the belt against r etrograde movement on the tray.

*When the lead cartridge is stripped' from belt 2 2'by forward movernent of rammerg28, the link holding, the

7 lead cartridge separates from the belt andthesucceeding cartridge becomes the new. lead cartridge with pay'vl90 holding the new lead and following'cartridgesinposition "on tray '20. a

" Inthe counterrecoil strokeofthe'barrel assemblyjslide pawl 78 pivots to ride over the new lead cartridge; v A combined cartridge beltstop .andlink1guide92 intongues 98 and 100 projecting therefrom for engagement v.with tray-20. V Cartridge belt stop 92 is secured'on tra";

20 with'tongue 98 projecting into a slot 102 of thetray appropriate to the direction of feed and tongue"100 projecting'intoa similar slot (not shown) adjacentthe'stripping position. .Arcuate edges 103 are formed on'either 44 moves pawl 78' away from strippingposition 80'and 80 eludes mutually'perpendicular legs94fand 96 with similar end ofbelt'stop 92 to stop belt 22 with the lead cartridge thereof inthe stripping position. i A :distinct advantage of the construction above is realized in the ease with which the direction or "feedisfrevers ed. To reverse. the direction of feed,re-

"described taine fl are removed from the w ap housingfld'ris reversedin bar 46, earn platei62" and e'ngagedin the "other grooves-5s and "with ,slot i7D engagingjstlid 6.6,

.thereby inactivated so that the belt22 is retained against 'fretrograde movement on tray 20-by the remaining .pawl

ItZis' readilyiseen that both of the alternate construcftious eliminate the step of changing the position of trayfmounted-pawls inreversing the direction of weapon-feed.

jIn' addition, the first alternate construction 'is ofparticular advantage because pawls 106 engage succeeding cart'r'id'ge llt), and therebypermit the last cartridge of a belt tobefired in the'weapon.

'Although a particular embodiment of the invention. "has been described in detail herein, it is evidentthat many variations 'may be devised 'within the' spirit and 'sc'ope'thereof and the following claims are intended-to includesuch variations.

:Ielaim: I v

:lLTIn a firearm having a rec'eiver,a barrel slidably disposed in the receiver for recoil and counterrecoil -and acover associated with the receiver to forrna feedway f6r the transverse passage therethrough of a belt of linked cartridges, a'reversible feed mechanism comprising a substantially rectangular reversible housing releasably secured .to'the underside of the cover in coaxial relation with the feedway, a longitudinal bar r eleasably secured to the underside of the cover adjacent the front and rear ends thereof-tolock said housing thereto,"a feed slide slidably mounted in said housing,.'said slide having a cam -follower depending from one end thereof and a resiliently mounted-feed pawlfdepending from the opposite end thereof, said lockingbar having a groove-extending alongeach of opposite longitudinal sidesthereof, thecover having-depending opposite sides Eand a groove extending longitudinally along the interior surfaces-of each of said:sides;r espe,ctively opposite and 'parallelnfo' .said-grooves in saidlocking bar to form right-and left hand sets of grooves, 'acam plate 'slidably disposed in .saidset of- 'grooves furthest froms'aid feed pawl, said .cam plate having a longitudinally. extending. cam track thcreinenga'gcable with the lower end of "said camfol lower. on said slide, means for releasably securing said cam plate to thebarrel for reciprocation therewith, said 'cam traekihaving an angular central'camming portion for moving said cam follower-in a planenormaL-to "the l longitudinal axis of'the receiver whereby said slide and said-feed pawl 'the reonare actuated to feed the cartridge belt'along the feedway during'each firing "cycle 'of the gun, means releasably secured in the feedwayin the path- 'ofthe cartridge bjelt'to stop the leadingca'rtrid'gethereof imposition to be chambered in the barrel, and meahsdor releasabl isec'urin both sides of the cover to therec'eiver whereby-the. release of either-side permitsfthe cover fofbejpivoted faboutfthe opposite side .tnereer; and

thereby provide ready access to the feed mechanism for reversing the direction of operation thereof.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said last-mentioned means comprises a pair of spaced-apart tabs depending from each of said depending sides on the cover, a pair of lateral projections extending outwardly from the receiver to releasably receive each of said tabs on the cover, each of said pairs of projections and said tab therebetween on either side of the gun having axially aligned holes therethrough, a rod slidably mounted through said projections and said tabs on either side of the gun to secure the cover to the receiver, each of said receiver projections having a vertical slot in the bottom thereof in communication with said hole therein and of lesser width than the diameter of said rod projecting therethrough, each of said rods having oppositely slabbed areas of lesser width than said vertical slotsin said cover tabs, and resilient means seated in the forwardmost receiver projection against the forward end of said rod therein to normally urge said rod rearwardly in order to maintain said slabbed portions thereon out of alignment with said slots in said cover tabs and therebyprovide a fulcrum for pivotal movement of the cover when the. opposite side thereof is released from the receiver.

3. In a firearm having a receiver, a barrel slidably disposed in the receiver for recoil and co untercoil, and a cover associated with the receiver to form a feedway for the transverse passage therethrough of a belt of linked cartridges, a reversible feed mechanism comprising a feed tray in the feedway, a reversible housing having a channel-shaped opening in the underside thereof and being releasably mounted to the cover in coaxial alignment with said feed tray, a longitudinal bar having a transverse channel for receiving said reversible housing, means for releasably securing said bar to the cover adjacent the front and rear ends thereof to lock said housing thereto, a feed slide mounted in said housing for reciprocable movement therein, said slide having a cam follower depending from one end thereof and a depending feed pawl pivotally mounted to the opposite end thereof, spring means for normally urging said feed pawl downwardly into the feeding path of the cartridge belt, means re leasably secured to said feed tray in the path of the cartridge belt to stop the leading cartridge thereof in position to be stripped from the links, means in said feed tray for releasably holding the cartridge belt against movement in a direction opposite the feeding path thereof, a symmetrical cartridge'depressor resiliently mounted in said longitudinal bar to depend from the underside thereof and hold the leading cartridge belt link against forward movement during the stripping of the cartridge therefrom, said locking bar having a longitudinal groove extending along each of the opposite sides thereof, the cover having opposed depending sides and a groove extending longitudinally along the interior surfaces of each of said sides respectively opposite and parallel to said grooves in said locking bar to form right and left hand sets, a cam plate slidably disposed in said set of grooves furthest from said feed pawl, said cam plate having a longitudinally extending cam track therein engageable with the lower end of said cam follower on said slide, means for releasably connecting the rear end of said cam plate to the barrel for reciprocation therewith, said cam track having an angular central camming portion for moving said cam follower in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the receiver whereby said slide and said feed pawl are actuated to feed the cartridge belt along said feed tray during each firing cycle of the gun, and means for releasably securing both sides of said feed tray and the corresponding sides of the cover to the receiver whereby the release of either of said securing means permits said tray to be pivoted about said securing means on the opposite side of the receiver to provide access to the breech end of the barrel and simultaneously permits the cover to be pivoted in the same direction to expose said feed tray and permit the relocation of the components of the feed mechanism required to change the direction in which the cartridges are fed into the gum 4. The combination defined in claim 3 wherein said means for releasably holding the cartridge belt on said feed tray against movement in the direction opposite the feeding path thereof comprises a belt holding pawl resiliently mounted in either endof said feed tray and arranged to be depressed by the underside of said cartridge belt stop whereby only one of said beltholding pawls is in engagement with the cartridge belt at any given time.

5. The combination defined in claim 3 wherein said feed slide housing includes a pair of depending lugs at one end thereof and said means for releasably holding the cartridge belt on said feed tray against retrograde movement comprisesa pawl pivotally mounted to each 1 of said lugs on said feed slide housing and sufficiently spaced apart to permit the passage of said feed pawl therebetween during the reciprocation of said slide.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

